Name

Thomas Henry Quinn.

Description

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Certificate relating to Private Thomas Henry Quinn.

Life Story

Name: Thomas Henry Quinn.

Service Number: 18549.

Rank: Private.

Battalion: 2nd Battalion.

Regiment: Royal Irish Regiment.

Born: 4th October 1898, Belfast.

Died: 14th July 1918.

Address: 15 North Boundary Street, Belfast

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Thomas Henry Quinn, son of Robert and Ruth Quinn, lived with his Aunt Eliza Jane Mateer at 15 North Boundary Street, Shankill Road, Belfast

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The 1901 Ireland Census has Thomas living at 123 Upper Malvern Street, Shankill Road, Belfast with his mother, father, occupation, Carter Labourer, three brothers, James A, 7 years, William John, 6 years, Robert George, 4 years, sister Mary, under 1 year, aunt Eliza Jane Mateer, uncle James Mateer

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The 1911 Ireland Census has Thomas living at 2 Penrith Street, Shankill Road, Belfast. His father Robert now living with his sister, Thomas aunt Eliza Jane and uncle James Mateer, with further children, Richard 8 years (a twin), Esther, 6 years, and Eliza Jane 4 years

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Thomas parents had at least ten children, including twins, one of which David, died at 4 months old, and a sister Alice, who died just days short of her second birthday on the 27th June 1908. Thomas mother herself then sadly died on the 5th November 1909 due to maternity complications

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Thomas had joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, serving as Private 29557.

His Index Card then shows him as Private 18549 Royal Irish Regiment.

He was posted as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France.

Thomas was a Private in 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment when he was Killed In Action in France on the 14th July 1918 aged 19 years

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A local newspaper states.

QUINN.- Pte Thomas Henry Quinn, R.I. Regiment, killed in action, was a nephew of Mrs Mateer, 15 North Boundary Street, Belfast. His brother, Wm John, Inniskillings, died of wounds in November, 1914, and James, another brother, was killed in action in 1915 at the Dardenelles, while a third brother, Robert George, also in the Inniskilling, was killed in action in France on April 1 1917

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Local Information

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S.A.S.H has proudly taken part in many projects within the Greater Shankill Community during the Great War Years Centenary Period. One project seen our group offer help around naming those from within the community that had died. Their information was then placed upon Poppy Memorial Boards, which were then placed within the community

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One of our members was also asked if they wished to highlight anything in particular instantly chose the Quinn Brothers. Below is the write-up that was placed upon the board and reads as follows

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A TRIBUTE TO THE QUINN BROTHERS.

Eliza Jane Mateer may not have been the mother of these four young lads, however she took them, her four nephews, William, James, Robert Thomas, into her North Boundary Street home after the death of their mother Ruth, treated them as if they were her own, all the while doing so to help her Brother Robert, during what was obviously very hard times.

Many families sadly lost loved ones during the Great War, however Eliza Jane lost four young men in their prime. Each year, 1914, 1915, 1917 1918, brought what must have been an unbearable pain to her home.

We have all suffered the loss of someone within our lives, we all know the pain that comes along with that loss, so that is why we should Recognise Remember young men like the Quinn Brothers.

Some families lost sons, husbands, brothers even sisters during the Great War, some even lost the next generation, or family blood line, so that is why we can never forget the Bravery Sacrifice of them all.

Thousands of Brave Shankill men marched down our road off to war, over 1500 of them never returned, with over 150 losing their lives on the 1st of July alone. The loss of the 4 Quinn lads, each a member of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at one time, is a story of great sadness. These young men, watched as each brother died, one after another, until there was no brothers left.

The famous saying, All Gave Some Some Gave All, seems ever so touching at the thought of this family, The Quinn Brothers.

We should also take a minute to remember Thomas father Robert in this case. Here we have a man who has suffered the loss of at least two young children, his wife Ruth and then his four adults son, 7 people in total within the space of 10 years, something that must have surely been a heartbreaking and traumatic period of his life. Robert died on the 14 February 1949 aged 70 years

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Soldiers Effects were left to his aunt Eliza J Mateer.

A Pension Application Form shows his aunt Eliza Jane as claimant for him and his three brothers.

Dependant Pension Application Forms also show his aunt Eliza Jane as claimant for him and his three brothers

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See brother also: 10502 Private William John Quinn 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

See brother also: 10064 Private James Adam Quinn 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

See brother also: 3308 Private Robert George Quinn2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

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Thomas received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

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He is Remembered at Louvencourt Military Cemetery, France.

To Remember Is To Honour

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